Wire line cutter



May 29, 1962 w. c. LINDSEY WIRE LINE CUTTER Filed 001;. 7, 1959 ATTORNEY.

INVENTOR. WILLIAM c. LINDSEY,

FIG.

FIG.4.

Leud Bulls Shaped Charges F|G.I

wlrellne ll Blusiing Cup Prime Cord United States Patent Ofifice 3,035,522 Patented May 29, 1962 3,036,522 WIRE LINE CUTTER William C. Lindsey, Houston, Tex., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Jersey Production Research Company,

Tulsa, Okla., a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 7, 1959, Ser. No. 845,016 2 Claims. (Cl. 102-20) The present invention is directed to a device for cutting wire lines and the like. More particularly, the invention is concerned with an apparatus for placement on a wire line for cutting same. In its more specific aspects, the

invention is concerned with a device for burning or piercing a wire line.

The present invention may be briefly described as a device for cutting wire lines and the like which comprises a-bddfmember having a central bore and adapted to have a wire line inserted therethrough. One or more shaped charges in the body member are inwardly directed toward the central bore. The body member is provided with means such as a firing pin and a percussion cap connected to the shaped charge by a primacord for detonating the shaped charge. Actuating means are carried by the body member for limited vertical movement on the wire line relative to the body member. The actuating means is normally restrained in a first position on the body member by a frangible means such as a shear pin and is adapted to be moved to a second position. Means such as firing means are attached to the actuating means and are matingly received in cavities in the body member for firing the detonation means by contact therewith on movement of the actuating means to its second position. The actuating means is drivingly moved from its first position to its second position on exertion of pressure such as by weight dropped thereagainst.

The device of the present invention, including the body member and the actuating means, are suitably formed in segments for placement around the wire line and the segments are held together by holding means such as metallic bands. A sinker bar or a go-devil is also made in segments and provided with a central bore such that the segmented go-devil may be placed on the wire line, the segments being held together by metallic bands for dropping against the actuating means to cause the device to sever the Wire line.

The present invention will be further illustrated by reference to the drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of the device of the present invention positioned on a wire line.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 33 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view illustrating a modification of the device of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 55 of FIG. 4.

Referring now to FIGS. 1 to 3 of the drawings, numeral 11 designates a wire line which is connected to a rope socket 12 forming part of a carriage such as a well tool, for example, a gun perforator, a bailer, and the like. Arranged around the wire line 11 is a body member 13 which is provided with a plurality of shaped charges 14 inwardly directed toward a central bore 15 through which the wire line 11 is inserted. Arranged in the body member 13 are percussion actuated blasting caps 16 operatively connected to the shaped charges 14 by primacord 17. As shown, the units consisting of blasting caps 16, primacord 17, and jet charges 14 are held in recesses in housing by means of spring clips such as spring clips 16a which hold caps 16 in place and spring clips 14b which hold charges 14 in place since the caps 16, primacord 17, and charges 14 are separate from body member 13.

Carried on the body member 13 is an actuating means 18 attached in a restrained first position to the body member 13 by shear pins 19. Connected to the actuating means 18 are firing pins 20 which are matingly received in elongated cavities 21 in the body member 13. The firing pins 20 are of suflicient length such that when the shear pins 19 are broken, the firing pins contact the blasting cap 16 to fire same and, in turn, the primacord 17 and the shaped charges 14.

The body member 13 and the actuating means 18 are preferably formed in two segments for placement around the wire line 11, the segments being held together by metallic bands 23 and 24.

Formed in the lower end of the body 13 is a chamber 22 for the purpose of receiving weighting material such as lead balls. This added Weight maybe needed to allow the body 13 to drop more freely on the wire line 11.

Also arranged on the wire line 11 is a go-devil 25 also preferably formed of two segments for placement on the wire line 11, the segments being held together by metallic bands 26 and 27.

When it is desired to sever a wire line such as 11, the device such as the body member 13 and the actuating means 18 with the shear pins 19 restraining the actuating means in its first position is placed on the wire line and allowed to drop downwardly in a well until the carriage 12 is reached. Thereafter a go-devil such as 25 is also placed on the wire line and dropped on the wire line such that it strikes against the actuating means 18. The force or pressure of the go-devil 25 against the fishing neck 28 of the actuating means 18, shears the shear pins 19, and causes the actuating means 18 to move from its first to its second position relative to the body member 13. The firing pins 21 contact the blasting caps 16 firing or detonating same, in turn setting oil? the primacord 17 and the shaped charges 14 which burn through or pierce the wire line 11, severing same.

In FIGS. 4 and 5, the shaped charges 14a are semicircular and when placed in the housing 13a as shown form a doughnut shaped charge. This form of jet charge completely encircles the wire line 11 and provides positive parting of the line when the charges are fired. Primachords 17 are sealingly attached to the charges by seals 17a. As can be seen in FIG. 5, the jet charges are retained in the housing 13a by means of spring clips.

The wire line cutter of the present invention is particularly suitable for use for severing wire lines where pipe strings of about 2% inch outside diameter are employed or where pipe strings of 2 /2 inch outside diameter are used. The wire line cutters heretofore available were not suitable for cutting wire lines used in small diameter pipe strings. In the present invention where inwardly directed shaped charges are used, it is possible to sever or burn through the wire line and then afterwards retrieve the body member and the go-devil. To this end, the go-devil 25 is provided with a fishing neck 29 which allows retrievement of the go-devil 25, and the inwardly turned shoulder 30 of the actuating means 18 connects with the outwardly extending shoulder 31 of the body member 13, allowing the body member 13 to be retrieved when the fishing neck 28 of the actuating means is picked up by a wire line grab tool.

The present invention is quite advantageous and useful in that devices of this nature having an outside diameter of less than 2" may be employed to cut or sever wire lines or cables of /2" or W the diameter suitable for use in pipe strings of less than 3" diameter.

The device of the present invention is, therefore, quite useful and important.

The nature and objects of the present invention having been completely described and illustrated, what I wish to claim as new and useful and secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A retrievable device for cutting wire lines and the like which comprises a weighted segmented body member having a central bore adapted for placement movably and for free fall on a wire line, first means for holding said body member segments, together, shaped charges in but separate from said body member inwardly directed toward said central bore, explosive means in said body member for detonating said charges, first and second spring means for releasably holding said shaped charges and said explosive means, respectively, in said body member, segmented actuation means for said detonation'means carried by said body member for limited vertical movement on said wire line relative to said body member and normally restrained in a first position on said body mem-' on movement of said actuation means to its second position, said actuation means being drivingly moved from its first position to its second position on exertion of pressure thereagainst, and means on the upper end of said actuation means for retrieving said actuation means and said body member on cutting of said wireline by detonation of said shaped charges.

2. A device in accordance with claim 1 in which the body member comprises two segments and said first holding means for said body member and said actuation means are metallic bands peripherally embracing said body member and said actuation means, and said first and second spring means are spring clips.

References Cited inthe file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,254,979 Ricou Sept. 2, 1941 2,587,244 Sweetman Feb. 26, 1952 2,638,323 Bannon May 12, 1953 2,889,885 Hildebrandt June 9 1959 2,911,909 Fuchs .2.. Nov. 10,4959

FOREIGN PATENTS 249,765 Great Britain Apr. 1, 1926 

